Ornamental chain for bracelets or necklaces



April 17, 1951 H. WEINACKER ET AL ORNAMENTAL cum: FOR BRACELETS 0R NECKLACES Filed Oct. 11, 1949 r as. a a. .n e n @K M a 5 r "WM m Patented Apr. 17,1951

.opNAMENrAnonAn ros nnacnnrrrson ,NEoKLA-oEs' Hermann Weinackr, shortiliills.:andeErederirk -:A.-rfDie richpMaip od, N..: ,.,.;.assi nrs :1

Universal Chain Co. Inc., Maplewood, corporation of Rhode Island N. J., a

Application October 11, 1949, Serial No. 120,634 1 Claim. (0159-801 The invention relates to ornamental jewelry and more particularly to flexible chains suitable for bracelets, necklaces andthe like.

It has been found desirable to use sheet metal parts and to avoid the use of solder and the like in the construction of jewelry chains for bracelets, necklaces and the like, thus facilitating quantity production, reducing the expense of manufacture, simplifying assembly and repair, enhancing the appearance and making it comfortable to wear. These desirable objects have been accomplished in the present invention by providing a sheet metal chain formed of frame link sections having projecting ends. The link sections areflexibly connected together by loop links. Ornamental loops encircle and cover the projecting ends of the frame link sections in interlocking relation.

loops before assembly so that the operation of soldering or otherwise securing the parts. of the chain together is avoided.

The invention will be better understood from i the description thereof to follow taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a top a chain made in accordance with Figure 2 is a side view thereof.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary crosssectional view taken on the plane of the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the plane of the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a side view taken along the line 'l- -'l of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 8-8 of Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 4 on an enlarged scale, showing various steps in the assembly of the ornamental loops.

Figure 10 is a side view of a detail.

plan view of a fragment of the invention.

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view taken on the plane of the line ll-ll of Figure 10.

Referring to the drawing in detail, all of the parts of the chain are stamped or cut from sheet metal stock. The chain comprises flat frame link sections I, each section being rectangular in shape and having a central opening 2, forming elongated side bars 3 and end bars 4 The end bars terminate in extension members 5 and on The ornamental loops are formed as split rings or partially closed 2 the opposite side edge of each extension member is a lug 6.

The frame link sections are loosely connected or coupled together by loop links I. The body of each loop link is curved and its ends 8 extend through the openings 2 of adjacent frame link sections 1 being curled around and interlocked with the side bars 3 of said link sections.

The surface of the coupling loop link may be.

decorated by a stripe 9 along the center of its body. As many of the frame link'sections may be connected together as desired to form a chain of the required length.

Encircling the end extension members 5 of each frame link section I is an ornamental loop or band l0. This band is in the form of a split ring or comprises an appropriately oval looped body having its free ends H turned inwardly toward each other as shown in Figure 6 leaving a space I2 between said ends. A central groove 13 is formed on the inner surface of the looped body and extends from end to end thereof. The edge walls of the groove engage and interlock with the lugs 6 on the end extension members 5 'of the frame link section as shown in Figure 9 to prevent displacement of the link l0.

Figure 9 illustrates the various steps in assembling and mounting the ornamental loop ill on the end extension member 5 of the frame link.

section. As will be seen,-the loop III with its ends ll only partially turned inwardly toward each other so as not to meet is placed around the outer edge of the end extension member 5 with its longer dimension approximatel parallel to the plane of said extension member as shown at the bottomleft hand side of Figure 9. The loop is next forced in the. direction of the vertically disposed arrows of Figure 9 inwardly over the end extensionmember toward the end bar 4 and snapped past the protruding lugs 6 until said lugs engage the outer edges of the walls of groove IS. The sides of the body of the loop are then pinched or pressed toward each other in the .direction of the horizontally disposed arrows of Figure 9, by a suitable tool, in order to further close the looped body and force the lugs into a tight fit with the walls of groove [3 thereby firmly interlocking the link and the end extension member 5 and preventing displacement of said ornamental loop. At the same time, the body of the loop is given a more pronounced curved contour.

to insert a suitable tool between the spaced ends I l of the loop and force them apart.

It will be seen that a chain of beauty and simplicity is constructed without the use of solder.

We claim:

An ornamental chain for a bracelet, necklace and the like comprising a plurality of frame link sections having protruding end extension members, opposed lugs on the side edges of said endextension members, loop links flexibly connecting said frame link sections, and "ornamental loops encircling said protruding end extension members, said ornamental loops having grooved portions in interlocking relation with the lugs on 4 the extension members for preventing displacement of said ornamental loops.

HERMANN WEINACKER. FREDERICK A. DIE'IERICH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,760,662 Prestinari May 27, 1930 1,821,676 Simpson Sept. 1, 1931 1,830,188 Bellavance Nov. 3, 1931 

